The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail for six months to JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested in a sedition case registered in connection with a controversial event organised on the university campus on February 9.

Mr. Kumar, who has been in police remand followed by judicial custody for over a fortnight, will be released on the bail bond of Rs.10,000 and a surety of like amount to be furnished by a JNU faculty member, ruled the Bench of Justice Pratibha Rani.

Justice Rani pronounced the order late on Wednesday evening in the presence of a handful of lawyers and journalists. The court had reserved its order on Monday after hearing lengthy arguments from Mr. Kumar’s lawyers and the Delhi Police, who vehemently opposed the bail plea. The Delhi government had pleaded with the court to grant the bail.

While the police had claimed that Mr. Kumar was not cooperating in the probe and had even come out with contradictory statements during interrogation, his counsel Kapil Sibal had claimed that some “anti-India slogans” inside the varsity campus were raised by people with covered faces.

The Judge has quoted Bollywood song – “Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugle” in the judgement.

Putting the onus of the JNU incident on teachers and students, she says “This spring why colour of peace eluding prestigious JNU, needs to be answered by its students, faculty”

Going further, she says “Infection which such students are suffering which needs to be cured..”

A detailed commentary on the judgement will be posted on India Resists soon. Please see the full judgement here: